Take-up and tension device for sewing-machines



J. HOEFLER. Take-up and Tension Device for No. 241,660.

Sewing Machines. Patented May 17, 188i.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC A JOHN HoErLna, or ILION, NEW YORK.

TAKE-UP AND TENSION DEVICE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,660, dated May 17,1881.

Application filed Novemher 21, 1879.

1' 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHNHOEFLER, of [lion, in the county of Herkimer andState of New York, have invented certain Improvementsin Take -Up andTension Devices for Sewing- Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to the take-up and tension devices; and it consistsin an intermediate vibrating lever, of peculiar form and arrangement, totransmit motion from the needle bar to the take-up lever, in a peculiarform of canrslottherein to facilitate the insertion of the thread intothe hook of the take-up lever, and in a peculiar manner of constructingand arranging the spindle, screw, and spring by which the frictionaltension'disks are held.

Figure'l is a perspective view of the head or needle-bar support and theattendant parts, including my improved devices; Fig. 2, a verticalcentral section of the same; Fig. 3, aface view of the same, showing theneedle-bar at its highest elevation and the take-up arm drawn forwardfor threading; Fig. 4, a face view of the intermediate arm or lever bywhich the take-up is actuated; Fig. 5, a vertical section through thehead,the friction-disks, theirspring and screw; Fig. 6, a perspectiveview, showing said parts detached and separated; Fig. 7, a sectionalview, showing a slightly-modified form of spring.

Vibrating take-up arms or levers have hitherto been made in variousforms and actuated in various ways from the needle-bar, the usual planbeing to provide the needle-bar with a pin acting in a slot in thetake-up arm, or against a cam-surface on the edge of the same. It hasalso been proposed to actuate a take-up lever by means of a leverarranged at right angles thereto and connected with. a vibrating armwhich drove the needle-bar. These arrangements are objectionable onaccount of the dif ficulty of securing a proper action, and on ac countof the peculiarities of construction which they necessitate in the otherparts. These objections I overcome by the arrangement shown in thedrawings, in which- A represents the head or frame, B the needle-bar, Cthe take-up arm or lever, and D my intermediate lever.

The lever D is made in the form shown in Fig. 4, with a short slot, a,and a long sinuous slot, b, and is pivoted at its lower end within thehead A, close to the front face of the needle-bar, which is providedwith a pin, d, extending into the slot bin the lever D, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, and in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The take-up lever O is pivoted at its upper end to the outer side of thehead A, and is provided near its fulcrum with a stud, e, extendin ginward and entering the slot at in the lever D, as shown in Figs. 1 and2. As the needlebar rises and falls its pin 01 vibrates lever D, and thelatter, in turn, through stud e, actuates the take-up, giving the lowerend of the same a much greater movement than that of lever D.

The lower end of the take-up has a curve or bend to allow it to enter astaple, g, which serves to retain the main thread as the takenp drawsoutward.

In order to facilitate the insertion. of the thread into the eye or bookof the take-up lever D the upper endof the slot 1), by which itsmovements are produced, is formed with a slight enlargement, b, to oneside, as more clearlyshown in Fig. 4, thus permitting 'the curved end ofthe take-up lever to be pushed forward through the staple g when theneedlebar is at the upper end of its stroke, as shown in Fig. 3, inwhich position the thread may be conveniently inserted. A light coiledspring, f, serves to hold the take-up arm back at the termination of thestroke, except when pressed forward by hand, as above mentioned.

The remaining feature of my invention, the tension devices, will beclearly understood by reference to Figs. 5, 6, and 7. E E are twofrictional disks or washers, between which to pass the thread, as usual.They are mounted on a headed pin or spindle, F, which is passed inwardthrough the head A, and provided at the inner end with atransverse'hole, k.

G represents a long flat spring, terminating at the lower end in a smallneck or stem, and provided in the upper end with a small elongated holeor slot, as shown in Fig. 6. The spring has its lower end seated in thehole in the spindle, and near its upper end is seated againsta raisedrib or fulcrum, 70, formed on the inside of head A.

Through the upper end of the spring there is inserted a screw, I,flattened on its sides to prevent rotation in the spring, and extendedoutward through the head to receive a thumbnut, J.

It will be seen that the spring holds the spindle, and that the screwand nut, in turn, hold the spring, and that by tightening up the nut thespring may be strained and caused to draw the disks together with anyrequired degree of pressure.

Instead of forming the rib or fulcrum k on the-inner face of the head,the spring may be formed with a rib or bend, as represented in Fig. 7,to form the fulcrum. This arrangement is considered preferable, for thereason that the entire length of the spring is broughtinto action and amore elastic tension secured, which is a feature of importance, as thelength of the spring is necessarily limited.

Iam aware that the combination of the disks, a spring, and anadjusting-screw is, broadly considered, old, and that said elements havebeen made and arranged in various forms.

The special advantage of my construction and arrangement of the springlies in the simplicity, cheapness, and durability. N 0 special means offastening is needed. Advantage is taken of the elasticity of the springthroughout its entire length. As the spring has no holes or openings inthe middle portion there is little danger of breakage during orsubsequent to the tempering operation. This is of itself an importantfeature.

Referring to my arrangement of the intermediate lever to actuate thetake-up, it will be noticed that the take-up and the lever "ibratc inparallel planes, and that the intermediate lever is located within thesupporting-head, whereby it is concealed and protected from dirt andinjury. By connecting the lever directly to the needle-bar, as shown, Ireduce the working joints between the take-up and its driving device tothe smallest number possible, and establish a close and directconnection between the needle and take-up, thus in-.

suring harmony of action between the parts and avoiding play orlooseness on the part of the take-up.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combinationof the vertically-moving 5o needle-bar provided with a stud, a pendenttake-up lever, and an intermediate slotted lever pivoted at its lowerend, connected near its upper end to the take-up, and provided with asinuous slot into which the stud on the needie-bar is extended, saidparts being arranged side by side, as shown, whereby compactness issecured andlost motion avoided.

2. In combination with the pendent take-up pivoted to the head of themachine, and the vertically-moving needle-bar, each provided with astud, a lever, D, located in a vertical plane between the needle-bar andtake-up, pivoted at its lowerend and provided with the two upright slotsat and b, to receive the studs of the needle-bar and take-up, wherebymotion is imparted from the former to the latter.

3. In combination with the swinging takeup lever, the spring, theneedle-bar, and the intermediate lever having the sinuous slot en- 7olarged at one end.

at. The combination of the head or support. the vertical needle-bar, thependent take-n located upon the head at the side of the needle-bar, andthe intermediate lever located within the head, and forming a constantconnection between the take-up and needle-bar, and arranged to vibratein a plane parallel with that in which the take-up moves.

5. In combination with the vertical needle- 8c bar provided with a stud,the levers O D, connected substantially as described, arranged inupright positions by the side of the needle-bar, pivoted to swing inparallel planes, and operated by the stud on the needle-bar, as setforth.

